The present invention relates to an all-weather golf club grip for use under wet or dry playing conditions.
Applicant has previously developed resilient grips which successfully reduce shock to the muscle and arm joints of the users of golf clubs, tennis racquets, racquet ball racquets, baseball bats and other impact imparting devices. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,813 granted to applicant Aug. 25, 1998. Such earlier grips utilize a polyurethane layer bonded to a felt layer to define a strip which is spirally wrapped around the handle of a golf club, racquet or the like to conform to the external configuration or such handle. In certain of such grips the sides of the felt layer taper from the side edges of the strip and the polyurethane layer is formed with recessed reinforcement side edges which overlap to form a water retarding joint between the side edges of the strip as the strip is wrapped around the handle or over a resilient sleeve telescopically carried by the handle. A problem common to polyurethane-felt golf club grips is slippage of the grip when moisture accumulates thereon as from rainy or humid conditions. Such slippage results in diminished control of the golf club resulting in misdirected shots thereby reducing the enjoyment of the game to the golfer.
To reduce such slippage between a golf club grip and a golfer""s hands there have been provided cord-type grips providing a roughened surface to the golfer""s hands. Such cord-type grips however, feel stiff and uncomfortable to a golfer, particularly in dry weather conditions, although such grips afford reasonable slip-resistance between a golf club grip and a golfer""s hands during wet playing conditions.
Applicant has developed a shock resistant golf club grip usable under either dry or wet playing conditions which provides improved resistance against slippage between a golfer""s hands and the grip. Such golf club grip permits a golfer to continue playing even during rainy or humid conditions and also minimizes the slippage effect of perspiration build-up on the golf club grip. The grip utilizes a strip which is spirally wrapped about a golf club handle. The side edges of the grip are skived and are also formed with recessed side edges which are overlapped to define a water retarding joint along such side edges. Additionally, unraveling of the grip relative to the golf club handle or underlisting sleeve is inhibited by the skived side edges and recessed reinforcement edges. The recessed reinforcement side edges also inhibit interference with other golf clubs when one of the clubs is removed from or placed within a golf bag.
A golf club grip embodying the present invention utilizes a layer of felt which is adhered to a golf club handle or to an underlisting sleeve. The exterior side of the felt layer is secured to a layer made up of a mesh of fabric fibers. The felt layer and fabric mesh are bonded together and covered by polyurethane which impregnates the mesh, with fibers of the mesh forming grooves in the polyurethane, and with fibers of the mesh forming grooves in the polyurethane layer as the polyurethane cures. The surface of the polyurethane is buffed to partially expose the fabric fibers. When the golf club grip is installed on a golf club, a golfer grasps the outside layer of the grip with the surfaces of his hands in contact with the grooves of the polyurethane layer and the partially exposed fabric fibers. The friction provided by such grooves and partially exposed fabric fibers resist slippage of the golfer""s hands on the grip, particularly under wet or humid conditions such as exist during rain. In this manner, the golf club grip of the present invention provides maximum control of a golf club by a golfer under either wet or dry conditions. The grip is particularly adapted for use by low-handicap golfers, although the use thereof provides advantages for higher-handicap golfers. The provision of the non-slip contact between a golf club grip and a golfers hands is especially critical when the golfer takes a full swing of the golf club.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments which, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrates by way of example the principles of the invention.